SF Has 20,000 More Trees Than Everyone Thought

Tree huggers are in for a real tree-t, as the city of San Francisco has gone through and counted every single street tree in the entire city. They also inventoried the species and condition of each tree, and this year-long effort just announced the numbers along with a cool interactive map.

The EveryTree SF Census was a collaborative effort between the San Francisco Planning Department, San Francisco Public Works, Friends of the Urban Forest, and a group of “tree inventory specialists” called ArborPro. Their results show that San Francisco has 20,000 more trees lining its streets than we’d previously thought.

So, how many trees does San Francisco actually have along its streets? We have 124,848 trees, with more than 500 different tree species identified.

Along with these results, the EveryTree SF Census has posted an interactive, online Urban Forest Map that identifies each tree and its exact species. Yes, it just looks like a big blob of green at first. But zoom in, and you can see how every single tree has its precise placement listed along with its tree species classification. This is a fabulous bookmark for any San Franciscan who ever wonders ‘What kind of tree is that?’

“Healthy tree-lined streets not only beautify and green our city, they are a valuable part of our urban infrastructure and enhance the quality of our daily lives,” Director of San Francisco Planning John Rahaim said in a statement.“With the information provided through this census, we can now develop a long-term plan for maintaining and growing San Francisco’s urban forest.”

Those trees do a lot more than just sit there looking nice. According to EveryTree SF Census, out nearly 125,000 trees sequester more than 19 million pounds of carbon dioxide every year, while filtering more than 100 million gallons of stormwater.